Habermas and Social Research: Between Theory and Method (Routledge Advances in Sociology)

One of the greatest contributors to the field of Sociology, Jürgen Habermas has had a wide-ranging and significant impact on understandings of social change and social conflict. He has inspired researchers in a range of disciplines with his multidimensional social theory, however an overview of his theory in applied settings is long overdue. This collection brings together in one convenient volume a set of researchers who place Jürgen Habermas'key concepts such as colonisation, deliberation and communication at the centre of their research methodologies. Full of insight and innovation, this book is an essential read for those who want to harness the potential of Habermas'core concepts in their own work, thereby helping to bridge the gap between theory and method in social research. Structured around three core themes, Habermas and Social Research provides a range of research case studies looking at system colonization, the politics of deliberation and communicative interactions. Issues as diverse as social movements, the digital public sphere, patient involvement, migration and preschool education, are all covered in the book, intertwined with a set of innovative approaches to theory application in social research.Designed to help researchers harness the potential of Habermas'core concepts as methodological tools, this timely volume will prove highly useful for graduate and upper level undergraduates within the fields of theory and method, research design, public policy, education policy, urban and environmental planning. Introduction: Putting Habermas to work in social research (Mark Murphy) Section 1: Research on Colonisation Chapter 2: Habermas in the context of social movements research: Colonisation as a living battle (Gemma Edwards) Chapter 3: Habermas' critical theory as an alternative research paradigm: The case of Everglades environmental policy (Claire Connolly Knox) Chapter 4: Habermas and the self-regulation of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) (Peter Kennedy) Section 2: The politics of deliberation 1: Research on the public sphere Chapter 5: Working with and thinking against Habermas (Judith Bessant) Chapter 6: Digitizing Habermas: Digital public spheres & networked publics (Bjarki Valtysson) Section 3: The politics of deliberation 2: Research on inclusion Chapter 7: Parental involvement in school: Applying Habermas' theoretical framework (Anne Dorthe Tveit) Chapter 8: Looking at participation through the lens of Habermas' theory: opportunities to bridge the gap between lifeworld and system? (Susan Woelders & Tineke Abma) Section 4: Communicative (inter)actions 1: School and migration studies Chapter 9: Transnationalism as communicative action: Putting Habermas to work in migration studies (Thomas Lacroix) Chapter 10: Young children's educational practice in preschool in relation to Habermas' philosophical perspective (Anette Emilson) Section 5: Communicative (inter)actions 2: The planning process Chapter 11: Bridging the theory and method nexus in planning: The potential and limits of Habermas for urban planning scholarship (Crystal Legacy and Alan March) Chapter 12: Habermas and the role of linguistic interaction in environmental planning: An East European case study (Maie Kiisel) One of the greatest contributors to the field of Sociology, Jürgen Habermas has had a wide-ranging and significant impact on understandings of social change and social conflict. He has inspired researchers in a range of disciplines with his multidimensional social theory, however an overview of his theory in applied settings is long overdue. This collection brings together in one convenient volume a set of researchers who place Jürgen Habermas' key concepts such as colonisation, deliberation and communication at the centre of their research methodologies. Full of insight and innovation, this book is an essential read for those who want to harness the potential of Habermas' core concepts in their own work, thereby helping to bridge the gap between theory and method in social research. Structured around three core themes, Habermas and Social Research provides a range of research case studies looking at system colonization, the politics of deliberation and communicative interactions. Issues as diverse as social movements, the digital public sphere, patient involvement, migration and preschool education, are all covered in the book, intertwined with a set of innovative approaches to theory application in social research. Designed to help researchers harness the potential of Habermas' core concepts as methodological tools, this timely volume will prove highly useful for graduate and upper level undergraduates within the fields of theory and method, research design, public policy, education policy, urban and environmental planning Cover 1 Half Title 4 Title Page 6 Copyright Page 7 Table of Contents 8 List of illustrations 11 Notes on contributors 12 1 Introduction: putting Habermas to work in social research 16 Part I Research on colonisation 34 2 Habermas and social movements research: colonisation as a living battle 36 3 Habermas’ critical theory as an alternative research paradigm: the case of Everglades environmental policy 53 4 Habermas and the self-regulation of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) 71 Part II The politics of deliberation 1: research on the public sphere 88 5 Working with and thinking against Habermas 90 6 Digitising Habermas: digital public spheres and networked publics 106 Part III The politics of deliberation 2: research on inclusion 122 7 Parental involvement in school: applying Habermas’ theoretical framework 124 8 Looking at participation through the lens of Habermas’ theory: opportunities to bridge the gap between lifeworld and system? 137 Part IV Communicative (inter)actions 1: school and migration studies 154 9 Transnationalism as communicative action: putting Habermas to work in migration studies 156 10 Young children’s educational practice in Swedish preschool in relation to Habermas’ philosophical perspective 171 Part V Communicative (inter)actions 2: the planning process 188 11 Bridging the theory and method nexus in planning: the potential and limits of Habermas for urban planning scholarship 190 12 Habermas and the role of linguistic interaction in environmental planning 205 Index 221 Pt. I. Research On Colonisation -- Pt. Ii. The Politics Of Deliberation 1 : Research On The Public Sphere -- Pt. Iii. The Politics Of Deliberation 2 : Research On Inclusion -- Pt. Iv. Communicative (inter)actions 1 : School And Migration Studies -- Pt. V. Communicative (inter)actions 2 : The Planning Process. Edited By Mark Murphy. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This collection brings together for the first time a set of researchers with Habermas’ core concepts of colonisation, deliberation and communication at the centre of their research methodologies. Full of insight and innovation, the book is an essential read for anyone wanting to know more about approaches to social theory and its application in research.